It has been a cold spring in northern France. For growers in Chablis and the Côte d’Or this turned into something really bad during the night between April 26 and 27. It was a frosty night that affected virtually all vineyards in the two regions. How big the damage will be is still uncertain, but some vineyards had 80% of the buds destroyed.
In Chablis the frost lasted three nights with temperatures down to minus 3.5 degrees C. Protection with heaters and water sprinklers has helped some vineyards but not completely. On top of everything, in some places both the main bud and the “back-up bud” (le contre-bourgeon) had already burst. If both freeze to death it will be difficult to get any harvest.
Also the northern Loire Valley has been hit very hard by frost these last nights in April. Read more on vitisphere.com. We have also heard reports on frost damages in Germany and in Austria.
